Concentration of syrupy liquids.



J. MAOGREGOR.

CONCENTRATION OF SYRUPY LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1911.

1,068,789. Patented July 29, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 50.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

J. MACGREGQR.

CONCENTRATION OF SYRUPY LIQUIDS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1911.

1,068,789. Patented July 29, 1913.

2 BHBETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses.- I Mr: )NW MM g COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, 5.1:.

JAMES MACGREGOR, OF GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

CONCENTRATION OF SYRUPY LIQUIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 29, 1911.

Patented July 29, 1913. Serial No. 641,369.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J AMns MAoGnnGoR,asubject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 19 Waterloo street,Glasgow, Scotland, have invented new and useful Improvements in theConcentration of Syrupy Liquids, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to the concentration of liquids chiefly those ofa syrupy nature.

According to the methods mostly in vogue for the concentration of syrupand heavy viscous liquids the liquid is concentrated from its weak stateto its finished density in one operation; or the weak liquid ispartially concentrated in a multiple effect apparatus, withdrawn bymeans of suitable pumps and thereafter raised to its finished density inthe usual coil pan, the coils in such pans being supplied direct from asteam main.

Under such arrangements as the above, which represent the universalmethods, the coil pans are of large capacity, (the intention being toproduce large batches) owing to the desired finished density having tobe maintained constantly. These methods have had to be adopted becauseof the impossibility of rendering the operation continuous whenconstantly withdrawing the finished product at a fixed density,

The object of my invention is to provide for elfecting the concentrationin practically one continuous operation and to this end I proceed asfollows, that is to say, I concentrate the weak liquor in a multipleefiect and complete the concentration in a final or finishing pan, thislast operation being eflected by means of the vapors from the precedingeifect and being continued until a full pan of finished syrup isobtained or a smaller charge as desired, means being provided forcutting out the finishing pan when it is desired to draw off the chargetherefrom, without interfering with the working of the preceding effect.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a sectional elevation ofapparatus constructed for carrying out my invention, and Fig. 2 is aplan view thereof.

a, 7) represent two eifects arranged to work in series, as amultipleeffect, the said effect being of any desired capacity consistent withthe work to be carried out.

a is the finishing pan or effect which is of large capacity as comparedwith the vessels at and b.

The liquor in the vessel a is heated by steam passed through the valve66 into the heating section a of the said vessel the vapor from the saidliquor passing through the pipe (Z into the heating section b of thevessel Z) and serving to heat the liquor in the said vessel and thevapors from the latter vessel Z) passing through the pipee into theheating section 0 of the finishing pan or vessel 0. The pipe 6 is fittedwith a valve f for a purpose hereinafter described. The branch 9 fromthe pipe 6, which branch is controlled by the valve 71,, extends to thecondensing vessel 2', with which the finishing pan or vessel 0 is alsoin communication by the pipe j controlled by the valve is.

a is the inlet to the vessel a for the liquid to be concentrated and aand a are the pipes for the passage of the said liquid from the vessel ato the vessel 6 and from the latter to the vessel 0 respectively thepipe a* having a controlling valve 64 Z is an intermediate tank which isin communication by the pipe m with the second vessel 7), the said pipem being fitted with a controlling valve 01 and with the pump 0, thesaid'tank only being used while the vessel 0 is being discharged toreceive the partly concentrated liquid from the vessel Z) in the eventof the latter and the vessel 6; not having suflicient capacity for theliquid forced in through the inlet o The intermediate tank is also incommunication by means of the pipe 79 with the finishing vessel oreffect c, which is fitted with the outlet valve 0 for discharging intothe tank 9,

In the finishing pan 0 the heating surface is of relatively small areacompared with the holding capacity of this vessel, and the heatingsurface provided will be in the form of tubes expanded into tube plates,considerably shorter than the tubes in the preceding weak liquor effectsa and b. The tubes in the finishing pan may also be of somewhat greaterdiameter than in the preceding efi'ects, these modifications being made,if required, to provide for the viscous nature of the syrup in thefinished state.

The apparatus operates as follows, that is to say, assuming that it hasbeen in operation such that the liquid in its passage from the vessel a,through the vessel Z2 and into the finishing vessel 0 has acquired thedesired density, the said vessel 0 is cut out by means of the valves a fand is, so that its contents can be discharged through the outlet valve0 into the tank (1. This discharge can take place without interferingwith the operation of the effects a and Z), since the valve k can beoperated so as to bring the effect Z) into communication with thecondenser While the batch of finished syrup or other liquid is thusbeing discharged from the finishing pan 0, the liquor, which passescontinuously into the multiple efiect apparatus, may either accumulatein the effects a and Z) which may have a margin of capacity provided forthe purpose, or if they have not such capacity may be discharged throughthe valve n and pipe m by means of the pump 0 into the intermediate tankZ, in, which it is stored until the finishing pan 0 is empty and readyto be brought into operation again. lVhen this condition is attained,the finishing pan 0 is again connected up to form a part of the multipleeffect apparatus, for which purpose the valve ]L is turned so as to cutoff the vessels a and Z) from the condenser i and the valves (i j andagain opened so as to connect the saidvessels with the finishing pan 0and the latter with the condenser 2', any partially concentrated liquidwhich may have been accumulated in the intermediate tank Z being at thesame time quickly fed into the finishing pan 0 under the pressure of theatmosphere which reigns in the tank Z.

In some cases it may be necessary to adjust the degree of density of theliquor in the pan 0 by the use of direct steam, this being suppliedthrough a valve 1.

s, t and u are pipes for the discharge of the water of condensation fromthe heating section a Z), 0 of the vessels a, b and c, the pipes s andit being provided with steam traps 0, 'w, respectively, to prevent thepassage of steam through the said pipes admitted through the valves aand r. WVhen, however the vessel 0 is working as the third effect of theapparatus, the heating section 0 being heated by the vapor from thevessel Z) through the pipe 6 is connected to the condenser z'by a pipe:7; controlled by a valve y, a valve 2 being arranged to cut out thesteam trap to.

By my invention I secure for all practical purposes a continuouslyworking apparatus, and as the concentration is carried out in multipleeffect, a saving in coal is effected without any disadvantages. Inaddition to the saving in fuel the final concentration is effected in ahigh vacuum by means of the distended vapors from the preceding pan thussecuring the great advantage of a very low temperature during thefinishing stage Claims:

1. A process for the continuous concentraweak liquor in a preliminaryefiiect, and I passing it to a separate finishing effect for finalconcentration to the required density, efiecting such finalconcentration as a part of the continuous process, then discontinuingthe final concentration and discharging the finished product anddiscontinuing the passage of partially concentrated liquor to thefinishing eliect without stopping the continuous concentration in thepreliminary effect.

3. A process for the continuous concentration of syrupy liquids whichconsists in continuously partially concentrating the weak liquor in apreliminary effect and passing it to a separate finishing effect forfinal concentration to the required density, effecting such finalconcentration as a part of the continuous process, then discontinuingthe final concentration, discharging the finished product andtemporarily discontinuing the passage of partially concentrated liquorto the finishing effect without stopping the continuous concentration inthe preliminary effect, accumulating the partially concentrated liquor,reestablishing the passage of partially concentrated liquor to thefinishing effect after the discharge of the finished product, andwithdrawing the accumulated partially concentrated liquor thereto andagain effecting the final concentration as a part of the continuousprocess.

4. A process for the continuous concentration of syrupy liquids whichconsists in continuously partially concentrating the weak liquor in apreliminary effect and passing it to a separate finishing for a finalconcentration, completing the concentration to the required density insaid finishing effect by the vapors from the preliminary effect,temporarily cutting off the finishing effect and discharging itscontents without interfering with the continuous operation of anddischarging its contents Without interefiect With the preliminary effectand disii'ering With the continuous operation of the continuing the saidcondensation of vapors preliminary effect, temporarily condensing fromthe preceding effect. the vapors from the preliminary efiect while JAMESMAOGREGOR.

5 disconnected from the finished eflect, ac-

cumulating the partially concentrated liquor, reestablishing theconnection of the finishing Witnesses:

NELLIE MQFARLANE LYNoH, J OHN PUNGLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G."

